Cast members in other shows

Here follows a brief description of each of the featured shows and films, with a link to a list of the actors and actresses appearing in both "The Avengers" and the other production. Note that only the Regular Cast and New Avengers pages mark recurring guest stars and New Avengers appearances, these features will come to the other pages soon.

Quick links to the production descriptions are via the rows of logos; in the cast lists, these link to the other cast lists. Try it and you'll see what I mean. To save you a bit of scrolling (if you really don't want to read the descriptions), here's all the cast lists, linked as they are within themselves:

The mainstay of British television for many years, Doctor Who will remain for many the zenith of science fiction broadcasting for a long time. Shonky sets and props aside, the series captured the essence of story-driven science fiction, and regular cast members became extensions of families around the globe, with millions dutifully tuning in for every episode. Originally conceived as educational television - presenting scientific concepts in a story context to make them more exciting - Doctor Who almost single-handedly created the science fiction television genre.

More British science fiction. The sets are (slightly) less shaky, the characters and storylines likewise. Much grittier, much dirtier, much more out there than Doctor Who, the 52 episodes of "Blake's Seven" etched an indelible mark in the psyche of many a television viewer around the (BBC-receiving) world.

Patrick McGoohan's first great starring rôle, the titular "danger man" - John Drake. A hard-boiled undercover agent working for British Intelligence, he was always an even-handed player. Unlike Bond he respected women, treating them as equals rather than playthings.

There's only really one good "Dangerman" site - Matthew Courtman's Danger Man Website - the best information available, especially given his recent updates. Most "The Prisoner" sites (see below) have a brief mention however. Of course, epguides.com have a page.

Patrick McGoohan tired of his John Drake persona near the end of 1967, and floated the idea of a new series to Lew Grade, the head of ITC. He argued for a tight series of just 7 episodes, but was talked up to doing 17. Seven were written by McGoohan himself - those in the original proposal and he directed several as well. "The Prisoner" was ground-breaking television, being more or less a study of the effects of mental intimidation and quickly became a cult programme.

Brian Clemens, after his success with "The Avengers", and emboldened by the popularity of the Linda Thorson series in France* decided to produce another show of the same format. The new French backers of the show thought they were getting Thorson, but were instead given Joanna Lumley as Purdey and Gareth Hunt as Gambit.
Sort of a halfway-house between "The Avengers" and "The Professionals", if features both the comedic touch and outré plots of the last three series of its predecessor, bizarrely juxtaposed with a hint of the violence of its successor. We have our own pages dedicated to the series, but if you want more they're here.

* - So popular that when a French champagne company hired Macnee and Thorson for an advertisement, the new show was borne of the result.

Brian Clemens, after his successes with "The Avengers" and "The New Avengers" sought to produce a more full-on hard-action series, with gun-toting agents in a desperate struggle against crime and terrorism. Following hot on the heels of "The New Avengers"*, "The Professionals" soon became an international hit. It remained a series of incredible popularity in the late 70s through to mid 80s. It hasn't always aged well, but it remains a fast-paced, entertaining show.

* - Only 13 days passed between the airing of the last "The New Avengers" episode and the first "The Professionals" episode (17th December and 30th December, 1977 respectively).

James Bond requires no introduction, I'm sure, for the majority of readers. While the franchise has dropped its standards somewhat over the years, it maintains a high profile amongst the cinema-going public, and the expansion into the new market of DVDs and home cinema has if anything increased this presence. Sean Connery breathed life into the character, personifying his cold-blooded character, his misogyny and brute strength, all the while tempered by his flippancy.

Three agents of a secret intelligence organisation known as Nemesis crash land while trying to escape Red China over the Himalayas. They are revived and restored to life by a mysterious old man, who endows them with supernatural powers. They are now all the more equipped to fight crime wherever it may be, they are ... The Champions.

"The Champions", and all devices, logos and icons remain the property of ITC Productions, & Carlton Entertainment.

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) has twice excited a dedicated core of viewers, and made major stars of the principals of the original 1969 version. Second time around, with Vic and Bob and the lovely Emilia, it was largely ignored by the networks and thus doomed to be cancelled. Great plots, exciting action, entertaining leads and fabbo music, yet the great unwashed didn't want it. Go figure!

First Roger Moore then Ian Ogilvy breathed silver screen life into Leslie Charteris' modern day Samaritan detective who has enthralled audiences since the Twenties. A hard-nosed champion of the victims of evil doers, a "cock-eyed ideal" as the character's creator put it.

"The Saint", and all devices, logos and icons remain the property of ITC and the estate of Leslie Charteris

Croft and Perry's wonderful war time comedy, centred around the blundering actions of the civil defence unit of Walmington-on-Sea; a raggle-taggle bunch of fumbling, panic-stricken amateurs, wide boys and pompous bank employees which have brought many hours of laughter to a devoted audience around the world.
Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn and John Laurie, the lead characters in the series have all appeared in The Avengers, along with many of the supporting cast.

"Dad's Army", and all devices, logos and icons remain the property of BBC Enterprises, David Croft & Jimmy Perry.

Peter Wyngarde's portrayal of Jason King - crime writer and crime fighter - in the series Department S was so popular, it immediately spawned the new series "Jason King" - two high camp detective action romps, with all the flares of a Seventies production.

A million miles away from Jason King, the dour Edward Woodward was the gritty operative known as Callan, he and the men in his department did the dirty work to keep the street clean. A bit in the Dangerman mould, Callan is a disillusioned agent with compassion for his targets, but in the kill or be killed world of the secret service, it's not always that easy.

The Pink Panther films were wildly popular around the world, and justifiably so. Peter Sellers' stumbling, idiotic Inspector Clouseau is a work of genius. Strangely, it's almost impossible to find a good site online, all I can suggest is that you head over to The Internet movie Database.

"The Pink Panther" and all devices, logos and icons remain the property of Blake Edwards, probably.

U F O is strange territory - a Gerry Anderson production with no super-marionettes, a base on the Moon, a future set firmly in the Sixties. This high camp action series runs its course quite well, but never snaps to attention, unlike the nether regions of young viewers titillated by Gabrielle Drake's disrobing, or the well-oiled boys in string vests. Sadly much of the acting is as wooden as Anderson's Thunderbirds.

Space: 1999 is another is a long line of British science fiction productions with shaky sets, skimpy outfits and campy dialogue. In fact, another Gerry and Sylvia Anderson production. Who could forget Martin Landau's stern leadership of the Moonbase? Or Catherine Schell's mysterious and alluring Maya?

The Carry On cycle has been part of the British film industry since the fifties, and they're making another one now, in 2004! This over-worked series of double entendres, innuendos, saucy birds and sleazy blokes might seem a bit too long in the tooth, but there's the occasional flower of wonder in there.

Adam Adamant Lives! was an attempt by the BBC to counter the popularity of ABC's The Avengers (or so some people say). It didn't fare well in the ratings, so sadly became a bit of a cult TV back-water after two lack-lustre series - until recently, when the episodes were cleaned up, remastered (and, in some cases, found by the careless BBC). Now Gerald Harper's magnum opus can be seen on a DVD near you - the BBC still hasn't found all of the episodes but we live in hope those missing from the second series may be found sometime.

Star Wars requires no introduction to anyone born in the Twentieth Century, George Lucas' master work has enthralled audiences ever since the first film (now known as the fourth chapter) broke all box office records back in 1977. Now part of a growing series of films, initially followed by two others, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi", it has now been preceded by "The Phantom Menace", "Attack of the Clones" and "THING".

The Sweeney (a name derived from cockney rhyming slang: "Sweeney Todd" = "Flying Squad") was a hard hitting, foul-mouthed copper show from the roughest era of Seventies television. An action series based on Scotland Yard's 'Flying Squad' which had been developed from the Armchair Cinema presentation "Regan". John Thaw and Dennis Waterman (who didn't write or sing the theme tune) starred in this fast paced and frankly furious series which delighted audiences at the time, and both went on to much acclaim in other rôles.

The Indiana Jones cycle also requires no introduction to anyone born in the Twentieth Century, George Lucas' other master work was an instant hit with worldwide audiences upon the release of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", starring Harrison Ford, who had become very popular in the "Star Wars" films. Followed up by "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg perfectly recreated the Forties action series style in feature length films. Another film in the series, slated to be the last has recently been released and was slammed by the critics. If that weren't enough, the long running television series "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" is a favourite with teenagers.

Police Surgeon was a star vehicle for Ian Hendry which rated well but was considered a bit, well, dull - the series was a bit of a kitchen sink drama, based around the not very exciting world of a police surgeon. The producers wanted to develop a new series with two male leads, and history was made when they cast Patrick Macnee to join the The Avengers, based loosely around Hendry's Dr Keel seeking revenge against the killers of his fiancée.